Birkat HaGomel

The Jewish prayer for Thanksgiving after surviving an ordeal

Judaism teaches that sometimes, people who need to give public thanks for the kindness God has shown them – you can do it by “benching Gomel” or saying the Blessing of Thanksgiving, also known as Birkat HaGomel. You can say it after making it through a trip across a desert or ocean (that long flight counts!), after surviving a serious illness or surgery or childbirth, and after being released from prison.

Learn all about Gomel, and how to say it, in this video complete with Hebrew and transliterated karaoke and English translation.

Thank you to Liora Brosbe and the Sprout Initiative of the East Bay for her narration on this video.